The Last Bride
by CliodnaRose
Summary: Aleera is the youngest, but by no means the least powerful. Dracula made some grave mistakes when it came to her. Now he will pay for it with his life.
1. Chosen

"_Not of age yet, I can wait."_

_Aleera stood still unable to move of make a sound, Dracula had swooped down on her whilst she was collecting water from the town's well. The sun was nowhere to be seen and he grabbed her and brought her to Castle Frankenstein. She had struggled at first but when he just laughed she gave up and was sure of her fate. But now, in the castle he had not laid a finger on her._

"_You are 18?"_

_Aleera merely nodded that was the only action she could manage with him controlling her._

"_My brides are in need of a third sister. I am looking for someone beautiful to keep them company and bear my children."_

_He stepped closer and Aleera shuddered, the cold was radiating off him like heat would if he were alive._

"_No."_

"_What?"_

_Aleera was shocked at her own confidence._

"_No, I will not help you create more of your foul kind."_

_He smiled at her and reached a hand out to her. She tried to step away but found herself glued to the spot. He stroked her cheek then tilted her head to the side. She whimpered but he just laughed._

"_Do not fear me, I will not have you yet. On the night of your 21st birthday, look for me."_

_He laughed again and Aleera fell into darkness._

Aleera sat at the table quietly thinking, ignoring the sound of the Werewolf howling, her sisters fighting and her master shouting orders. She had but little time to her self, she was either with her master or sisters. No matter where she went, whether it was outside or in they would find her.

"Aleera!"

She turned and saw Marishka flying through the door with Verona close behind. They both landed and started fighting, Aleera hissed loudly but they took no notice of her. She shifted into her vampiric form and tried to prise them apart but they shifted and two was too much for her.

"Stop or I'll call master."

They stopped immediately, she smiled letting her fangs show menacingly.

"What's this? A secret from master? Tell me or I'll tell him."

"You wouldn't dare Aleera, it's nothing to do with you anyway."

"Why not?"

Aleera hissed at them but they just hissed back, Marishka hid the thing she was holding and moved away form both of them.

"I will tell you Aleera."

"No!"

Verona lunged once again but Aleera had grabbed her by her foot and threw her against the wall. She crashed into it and fell to the ground, she rose snarling just as Dracula waltzed into the room.

"What is going on?"

Neither one of his brides answered him, when it came to their fighting they did not tell their master. It was a fierce sisterly bond and an unspoken rule, more than once one had taken all of the master's rage for their silence but the others had comforted her then. Dracula looked around the room, he saw Verona healing and immediately looked towards Aleera and Marishka. He saw Aleera's grown fangs and motioned for her to follow him.

"Come with me Aleera."

She followed silently, looking at the ground. They stepped through the door and it shut behind them, Dracula stopped then turned. Aleera looked at him then back at the ground.

"What happened Aleera?"

"Nothing master, Verona and me were playing."

"Playing? Playing doesn't make dents in the wall and person."

He regarded her silently then shifted into his bat-like form and lunged at her. She screamed and tried to fly away but her grabbed her by the leg and slammed her to the ground.

"Do not run from me!"

Aleera cowered on the floor waiting for another blow, it never came and she finally looked up. Dracula was in his human form again and walking away from her, she started to cry silently and never moved from her spot on the floor.

"_Aleera where have you been? What happened to you child?"_

_Aleera stood in the middle of the crowd shivering with everyone staring at her. Her mother rushed forward and wrapped a blanket around her. She was led into the nearest house that happened to be her own and given a warm drink. When she had warmed up she just sat in front of the fire and stared into nothing._

"_Aleera where have you been? We feared that the vampires had gotten to you, it was a cloudy day after all."_

"_No mama, I just went too far into the woods, I got scared and ran and ended up falling into the river."_

"_Aleera, when will you learn? Stay in the village where you'll be safe."_

"_No where's safe, not even here."_

"_Aye, but you'll be a damn sight better here than out there on your own. A pretty girl like you would be a fine meal for his brides and himself."_

"_How do you kill him?"_

_Aleera saw her mother stop what she was doing and turn to her._

"_Why?"_

"_Just curious."_

"_Curiosity killed the cat, don't you forget that. The King Valerious will kill Dracula."_

"_But Mama, they have been trying for years but they haven't done it yet."_

"_Child."_

_She came and knelt down in front of Aleera._

"_If they cannot do it then no one can. We must trust them with our lives and silently support them. If we all doubted them then we will never be rid of Count Dracula."_

_Aleera nodded, if the count really did come back for her she would have to hope the Valerious would kill him before he got the chance to turn her._

"Sister?"

Marishka and Verona stood over Aleera's body, she had not moved or made a sound since they had found her. When they heard her scream and her master roar they feared the worst and hurried to find them both. When they got there their master was nowhere to be seen and Aleera was lying on the floor.

"We're sorry sister, we didn't mean for that to happen. We will tell master it wasn't your fault."

Aleera finally sat up and shook her head, they could see that her makeup was smeared and she had a long gash on her face where Dracula had scratched her. His wounds on his brides never healed unless he willed them to, obviously he had not forgiven her yet.

"Oh sister, we shall go to him now and beg for all our forgiveness."

Aleera again shook her head and stood up, she wiped away her tears and stood tall.

"I shall not stay here, I shall go somewhere else."

"Aleera no!"

Before they could stop her she changed and flew off, they daren't follow in case their master found out and punished them all.

"_Vampires!"_

_The cry went through the village and everyone scattered trying frantically to reach their houses and lock the doors. Aleera stood amidst the chaos watching the approaching figures, someone pushed past her and knocked her to the ground. She sat up and faced Dracula's brides, they smiled at her, though she wasn't sure whether it was anger, jealousy or hunger behind the smiles._

"_Aleera darling, you should not be outside. We might get too hungry to search for the pathetic people here."_

"_I am not afraid of you."_

"_No, you have no reason to fear us whilst in our masters protection."_

_Aleera looked around and saw the curious looks on peoples faces as they looked out the window and saw the Vampires talking to Aleera._

"_What do you mean?"_

_They smiled again, but this time it was to each other._

"_We do not harm you or members of your family on his orders, we are not foolish enough to disobey them."_

_Aleera looked into their beautiful and ageless faces._

"_How long?"_

_This question seemed to catch them off guard and confusion crossed their faces._

"_What?"_

"_How long has it been since you saw your family's or felt love in your hearts?"_

_They stared at her thoughtfully then the blonde grabbed Aleera by the throat and lifted her to her feet. Her mother rushed out of the house screaming, followed by the rest of her family and eventually the rest of the village. The brides seemed undaunted by the crowds and just looked Aleera in the eyes._

"_One year my darling and you will know all. We will love you like a sister and take care of you like a child, but until then we shall make your last year as a mortal a misery."_

_The blonde let her go and turned to the villagers, they all stepped back fearing she would pounce. When she did not move they relaxed, the two brides saw this and leapt into the air._

"_One year child, then we will come for you."_

_They flew off cackling and Aleera burst into tears, no one came to her, not even her mother. All knew what that last remark had meant, they all knew that Dracula had been looking for a new bride. None of them dared think that he would choose from their village, his brides were always from some far off exotic place. To have a future bride in their own village was enough to give them dark thoughts._

"_Mama?"_

_Aleera looked at her mother then to the rest of the village. No one looked or offered her help, not one of them knew this would be their biggest mistake._


	2. Betrayal of trust

Aleera waited in the woods until she heard the familiar snarling and growling. She walked towards the noise and came to a clearing, it was late at night so she stepped out. The creature looked up and was ready to pounce, but seeing who she was just whimpered and whined.

"Hush, I am not here to torment you."

The werewolf looked at her curiously, stood full height waiting for her to speak.

"The moon is going."

The wolf looked into the sky and the clouds were covering the moon, next thing she saw was him lying on a heap on the floor.

"Welcome back Prince Velken."

"What do you want Aleera?"

"Come now, we have always been friends."

Aleera moved towards the Prince smiling, he backed away from her.

"Friends?" He spat, "Friends is when you torment me with tales of my sisters death or my fathers disappearance?"

"There is a lot worse that I could do, believe me."

Her temper flared but she calmed quickly.

"I want your help."

"Help? What do you want?"

"Helping you means helping me. I will tell you how to kill Dracula."

The look of shock on the Prince's face was enough to bring another smile to her face.

"Kill…but."

"Do not wonder why, just swear that as soon as he is gone me and my sisters can leave peacefully without your sister hunting us."

"I am never human long enough to tell her anything."

"Ah, but you are to write. Write down what I tell you and give it to her next time you see her, that is if you don't kill her before hand."

Aleera sat on the damp ground and picked out strands of grass. The Prince came and sat before her.

"It was you."

She looked at him.

"You were the girl taken years ago. The tale has been told many times but the name was lost. I have often wondered which one of his brides it was."

Aleera looked back to the ground but Velken lifted up her chin and made her look at him.

"What happened to you? They say she was turned and killed her own family. Did he make you do it?"

Aleera looked ashamed then tears spilled down her cheeks. She shook her head and he drew his hand back, she thought about taking it again but didn't.

"Verona and Marishka came to me one day and talked to me. The rest of the village came out when they threatened my life, not that they intended to kill me. Verona and Marishka flew off and told the village I was the next bride, my mother and father abandoned me. For a whole year my own family and friends shunned me, then when I tired to move on I found the news travelled. When he finally came for me I embraced my fate and first thing I did was kill my family for disowning me in my hour of need. I did it in my human form so they could see what they had done to me."

She sobbed and lay on the floor, spilling years of sorrow and regret for her actions. She felt Velken stroking her hair and back and felt comforted.

"I would have stood by you."

Aleera stopped crying and sat up, the Prince was looking at her the way the master did sometimes. It took her a moment to realise it was love. She stood up and backed away.

"How long?"

Aleera say the realisation that she knew.

"Since I first saw your human form."

"No, this cannot…I must go."

"Wait, how do I kill him?"

Aleera stopped before she flew off.

"Bite him, then I will give you the antidote."

Aleera saw him struggle to believe it was so simple.

"What about us?"

Aleera smiled.

"Antidote first, then we shall see what you think of me."

She flew off into the night, heading back for Castle Dracula

"But master it was not her, it was mine and Marishka's fault."

"Then you should have said something instead of letting her take the blame. Where is she now?"

He saw them hesitate.

"We do not know master, she flew out of the castle and hasn't returned since."

"And when were you going to tell me this?"

They were silent, Dracula snarled then left them standing in the room. He walked towards Aleera's room hoping she was in there. Out of all his wives she was the most rebellious and the only one out of his wives to know how to kill him. He could remember as if it was yesterday.

"_Master? Why do you keep antidote for the werewolf?"_

"_To keep them in line, if they rebel against me I shall simply give them the antidote."_

"_Why must you fear their rebellion, they are just dogs."_

_Dracula smiled at his youngest bride and beckoned to her, she took his hand and they stood in front of the jar._

"_Because they are the only things that can kill me. Nothing but a werewolf bite will kill me."_

_Dracula smiled at the shock on her face._

"_But why does it kill you and not us, we have fought werewolves and lived."_

"_You can be killed by other means, neither sunlight, stakes of holy water can kill me."_

_They stood together silently._

"_Do not tell Verona and Marishka, they do not know."_

Dracula had made the mistake of thinking that the youngest and newest of his brides would be the most obedient. Instead she had proved to have a fiery temper that matched his own and Dracula sometimes feared she was becoming just as powerful. But seeing her taking orders from Verona seemed to ease his worry, though he didn't know if it was an act. He reached Aleera's room and opened the door, Aleera was lying on her bed with her eyes closed. He walked over and sat on the bed next to her, she didn't open hr eyes or even acknowledge his presence.

"Aleera."

She opened her eyes and sat up.

"Where did you go?"

"Flying around."

Dracula put his hand under her chin and turned her face to where the gash was. She flinched as he touched it, it disappeared in front of his eyes and Aleera touched her now clear cheek. He stood and she got up next to him, she went to walk out the room but he grabbed her arm.

"Where did you go?"

He had noticed the grass stains and twigs clinging to her clothes and hair.

"Flying over the woods."

"Not into them?"

"Just a little bit."

"Did you meet the Prince there?"

"What?"

Dracula frowned and made her turn to face him.

"The Prince was in the woods tonight, did you meet him?"

"Yes, we talked."

Dracula could feel his anger flaring once again.

"What about?"

"Me, he knows I come from Transylvania instead of somewhere exotic like Verona and Marishka."

Dracula calmed down again. Aleera was always the one that worried him most if she disappeared unexpectedly. No matter what he did she never changed, part of her human side still held sway over her. The last year as a mortal had turned her slightly savage and that made her a deadly enemy. Dracula often regretted his decision to have her an outcast, neither of his other brides had murdered their family as soon as their transformation. Neither of them had been willing when he finally came to do it, Aleera unnerved him though he never admitted it.

_Aleera watched the family through the trees, she had been wandering for days. Scavenging for food, barely surviving the cold climate. She would stop at villages and steal any food she could, passing through never stopping more than a day. _

"_Hello."_

_Aleera whirled round and faced the young buy, he was smiling at her. _

"_My names Milas, who are you?"_

"_Aleera."_

"_You're pretty."_

"_Thank you, you're very handsome"._

_He held out his hand and she took it, he pulled her out into the open before she could stop him. The family stopped what they were doing and looked at her. The children watched her curiously and the adults took in her haggard appearance._

"_Who are you child?"_

_Aleera didn't want to answer, every village so far knew her name. It was best to remain anonymous to receive kindness, she had forsaken her identity many times for food and drink._

"_Her names Aleera."_

_Too late, the child with her hand let go and ran over to his mother._

"_She's pretty isn't she?"_

_The mother ushered her children inside the house and faced Aleera._

"_Why are you here?"_

"_Please, I am no threat."_

"_No threat, what if Dracula comes for you and he finds you here? You are more of a threat than you realise."_

_The man put a calming hand on his wives shoulder and shook his head._

"_We do not want you here, please leave."_

"_I will go, spare some food and water before I leave?"_

_They both hesitated then the woman rushed into the house and hurried back out again holding a loaf of bread and a cup of water. She held it out to Aleera and as Aleera stepped forward she put it on the ground. Aleera was too hungry and tired to care about this insult. She grabbed the food and ate it as fast as she could before turning her back on them. She walked away from them without looking back. The forest was her home, the forest was her protector, the forest was all she had left._


	3. We are the same

"Why have you not done it? Marishka is dead because you have not kept up your side of the bargain!"

Aleera flew at the Werewolf and bit it hard, the wolf howled but didn't fight back. The moon was full in the sky and held its sway over the Prince. Aleera shifted into her human form and studied the Prince calmly, she could turn her emotions on and off when she liked. It was a useful trait and made her even more dangerous.

"You cannot control yourself can you?"

The wolf looked at her, obviously not understanding, she walked over to it and gazed into its eyes.

"Prince Velken is in there somewhere, obviously you are weaker than I thought."

The wolf snarled at this but she ignored it, she paced about the small room he was kept in.

"You have had many chances my Prince, both to do as we agreed and to tell your impossible sister."

It was then that the Wolf shifted, and collapsed.

"You do not know Aleera."

The Prince panted after the change.

"Do not know! What do you think I am? Is a Vampire any different to a Werewolf?"

Aleera punched a wall and it crumbled slightly under her blow.

"Yes."

She watched as the cuts on her knuckles healed with great interest.

"How? Both feed off the living, both immortal, both cursed and bound to the Master. How is it different?"

Her hand was as flawless as before and she turned back to Velken.

"You have your own mind, I am nothing but a ragged animal when I change, you at least know what you are doing."

She leapt at him scratching his chest till the blood was flowing.

"Do you think that is better?"

Aleera was becoming hysterical and she wouldn't bottle it up.

"Do you think I enjoy killing so many people? It still holds sway!"

The Prince cocked his head to the side, even human he was becoming more and more like the wolf. It was slowly eating up his soul, soon he would not recognise his own sister and even now he wouldn't hesitate to kill her if he saw her.

"Wandering the forests for a year turned me savage enough to kill mercilessly for my own survival. I retain memories and conscience because I was already half animal when they found me. Now tell me, is it best to kill with no knowledge of it or do it knowing fully what you do? My sisters remember none of their past lives, one of the tricks Master knows. I pray to the Devil that my memories will fade, he just torments me by making them stronger."

"Perhaps you should pray to God, he hears all."

Aleera snorted.

"If there is a God then I would have died of old age, happily married with children. As it is, I'm married with dead children and eternal life. Tell me which part of that show's your God's mercy for me. After so many years he will not hear me even if I did pray."

"_Here kitty, kitty, kitty, we won't hurt you."_

_Aleera stayed silent, listening to their patronising calls and quiet laughing. It was the eve of her 21st and they were true to their word. How they found out where she was, was a mystery to her, luckily she knew the forest better than them. Even with their night eyes and heightened senses it would be hard for them to find her._

"_Come now Aleera, we wish to help you."_

_More laughter, Aleera looked down at the wooden stakes at her feet, she would not go without a fight. She could hear them getting closer, hear their footsteps on the fallen leaves. She stood, hearing them directly behind her. With her back to the tree trunk she gathered the stakes and jumped out at them only to come face to face with the count._

"_There you are my bride, you shouldn't play such games."_

_Aleera dropped the stakes of her own accord and stared at the ground._

"_Come, come, I don't think your sisters would take kindly to being stabbed."_

_He held out his hand to her but she didn't move, instead she turned away from him and walked back behind the tree. She sat down and ignored his laughter, she knew she would not escape this, either way she would leave this forest dead. If she stabbed herself with a stake then he could not turn her. If she let him turn her she could show what her family did to her._

"_Time is up."_

_The count was standing next to her, making her jump. He laughed again and helped her up._

"_What is your choice? Not that you have one."_

_He smiled at her again showing his fangs, Aleera looked at him then turned away and bared her neck._

Aleera hated this new hunter, he had taken away hr sister and caused them both great pain. He would pay for it, she would find a way to torment him as he has them. But how? The Prince had seen the monster with Anna and this man, Gabriel the master calls him. The master seems to know him, if this man is still alive then he must be a vampire also. Why kill his own kind then? Pondering this was enough to keep her occupied for many hours.

"Aleera?"

Verona stood in the doorway of her room, Aleera held her arms out for her and Verona collapsed into them.

"Why did he have to try again? It always fails, how many of our young have we seen die? My heart could not handle any more."

"Shh Verona, Master has found the monster. He will give our children life, just as he was made for."

"Yes, we are to fetch it tonight, the man and Princess are taking it to Rome. We must kill them and take it, the werewolf will come with us to distract them."

Aleera nodded, it was fast becoming dark and she had not slept in many days. She knew it would greatly affect her strength and she needed to be fully aware against Anna and the hunter Gabriel.

"Come Aleera, Master wants to see us before we leave. It will take us some time to reach them, they are travelling fast."

"No match for us though Verona."

They walked towards the door but Aleera grabbed Verona's arm.

"Verona, promise me you'll be careful. We just lost Marishka, I couldn't lose you."

Verona smiled and hugged her.

"I will be careful, you must promise me also."

"I promise."

They left an arm round each other's waists, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time they were together.

_Aleera felt a sharp pain in her neck then a spreading numbness. She felt the blood draining from her body and for one terrifying moment she thought that he would kill her, then it was over. She stood and looked around, it was the same as before and the others were smiling at her._

"_Verona, Marishka, teach her."_

_They screamed loudly then shifted into their vampiric forms. Aleera backed away in horror as they lunged at her, they grabbed an arm each and flew into the air. Aleera screamed but they laughed, they flew high then stopped._

"_Learn to fly little bird!"_

_With that they dropped her, she screamed and closed her eyes silently praying it would be painless. She opened her eye after what seemed like an age and looked down, the ground was miles below and her wings were flapping keeping her float. She gasped and looked at her clawed hands and feet, Marishka and Verona flew over and hugged her._

"_She is a fast learner, Master had to catch me twice before I shifted."_

_Aleera looked in disbelief at Verona._

"_Are you saying he did this to both of you?"_

_They nodded but it didn't seem to faze them, they just cackled and flew away from her._

"_Catch us Aleera!"_

_Aleera tried to follow them, discovering how to use her wings. Left, Right then forward, she smiled and flew towards the brides who were looking fondly at her. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad with Marishka and Verona with her._

"_Time to feed."_

_Aleera nodded suddenly feeling her own hunger, she looked at the village below thinking to scare those that had cast her away then stopped. They did not know her, she was just a stranger to them, she would feast on those that betrayed her._

"_Where do you want to go Aleera?"_

"_Home."_


End file.
